


What Does it all Mean?

by Wannabanauthor



Category: Luke Cage (TV)
Genre: F/M, Light Angst, Romance, Shady Mariah, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-28 09:14:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8439958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wannabanauthor/pseuds/Wannabanauthor
Summary: After the kiss, Shades is left a bit uncertain about his future with Mariah.





	1. Shades

**Author's Note:**

> So this idea stemmed from a discussion on Tumblr about why Shades' smile disappeared after the kiss.

The kiss is unexpected, but very much welcome.

Yet it’s so brief yet charged that it leaves Shades wondering what it means.

He’s not some young thing who thinks that they’ll hop into bed right away.

But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want it.

Because he really does.

He’s all smiles when she kisses, but afterwards when she saunters away, the doubt creeps in.

It’s an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he both anticipates and dreads what comes next.

Mariah holds all the cards now, and Shades knows he’s expendable. Logically, he is. Emotionally, he’s not sure Mariah’s going to let go of him that easily.

He remembers the way her eyes lit up when he confessed that they were in this thing together now. Or her genuine smile when he showed her how they could bring Luke Cage over to their side.

He nearly groans at the memory of her dragging her eyes up and down his body. Then a simple meeting of the lips followed by her teeth nipping his bottom lip.

Mariah won in the end. She’s in charge of the club and free of the murder charge. It’s what he wanted-wants, right?

Mariah has everything she wants, so why would she need him around any longer?

Shades knows that Mariah wants him on some level, but he’s not quite sure what it is. A friend? A lover? A partner? His heart wants all those things, but he also fears it.

“I need to undo some of the damage that Diamondback did to my reputation. I think my stance on arming the police needs to change. What do you think?” she asks him the next day.

They’re in her office as she pours over the public relation reports that Alex gave her earlier.

It snaps him out of his trance, and he’s briefly hypnotized by the way she swirls the fountain pen around her fingers.

Shades nods. “That could work. Admitting that you fell victim to what a lot of people do during times of crisis. Your first instinct was to help your community by painting a target on someone else. Go with that angle. It humanizes you in the eyes of the public.”

She taps the pen against her mouth. “And I can focus on ways to improve communication and trust between the police and the people. Maybe some mentorship program or a series of community outreach events.”

“Or a more positive version of Scared Straight that goes both ways. The cops learn about the lives and culture of the people they protect and vice versa,” he suggests, and Mariah smiles at that.

“You’re a natural, Hernan,” she says as she scribbles away at her notepad.

He stills at the mention of his first name. She’s never called him that before. It warms his heart a little.

They spend the rest of the afternoon planning the event, and then it’s time to head to the club.

He stands guard while Mariah schmoozes with her high-profile guests. Misty’s in the club again, and Shades makes it his personal duty to keep eyes on her at all times.

Which proves to be difficult since Mariah is wearing a very nice gray dress that clings to her curves. He sneaks a glance at her every now and then, and she catches him at least once.

She grins back at him and then goes back to entertaining her guests. A few minutes later, she waves him over and introduces him to them.

He’s touched by it but doesn’t let it show.

“Priscilla, I’m shocked that you and our other sisters accepted my invitation,” Mariah says while she sips her scotch.

Priscilla rolls her eyes. “What kind of sister would I be if I didn’t show up to support you?” There’s a hint of malice there.

Mariah laughs. “Well, that’s not actually why I invited you.”

The other woman sighs. “Of course it isn’t. What are you trying to sell me now? Forming a local militia for citizens against ‘super powered freaks’?”

Shades fights to keep a smile off his face.

“Actually, I was thinking that we could do the city some good by working together to making relations between citizens and the police less combative,” she suggests. “It was Shades idea.”

Priscilla glowers at her. “You cannot be serious. After everything you did-”

Their other sister puts a calming hand on Priscilla’s shoulder. “Let’s hear her out.”

Priscilla shrugs it off. “Not long ago, her and her accomplice were being held for murder. Me coming here tonight was a courtesy of our sisterhood.”

Mariah waves at her dismissively. “You can dwell on the past, or we could improve the city by moving past it all and-”

Shades watches as the women go back and forth for some time until Priscilla is outnumbered and forced to listen to Mariah’s idea.

By the time, she’s done, Priscilla actually looks impressed.

“If I trusted you, I’d say it’s a good starting point. But I don’t, so good luck with all that.”

Mariah sighs, but Shades knows it’s not a total loss. The seed is planted.

As the club is closing, she invites him into her office for a drink.

He hesitantly takes the glass from her.

She laughs. “You worked hard tonight. What’s wrong with a little congratulatory drink?”

He takes a sip and sets the glass down on the table. “What are we celebrating?”

Her smile towards him is so warm that Shades wonders how many drinks she’s had.

“My sorority sisters loved your idea. It would have sounded better coming from you though,” she says.

Shades says nothing, so Mariah sets down her drink and walks over to him. She reaches up to take off his sunglasses and holds them in her hands.

“We’re in this together now, Hernan. Remember that,” she says and hands him back his sunglasses.

To anyone else, it would sound like a threat, but there’s something vulnerable in Mariah’s eyes as she looks at him. There is a connection there, but he doesn’t want false hope.

Shades clears his throat. “Will do.”

Mariah steps back from him looking a bit disappointed. “It’s been a long day. See you tomorrow.”

Shades can’t help but watch as she leaves the room. He wonders if this new partnership will work out after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mariah's POV on things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it took so long. Had my own version of NaNoWriMo going on, and then the election happened. Enjoy!

For Mariah, the hurt only lasts for a second before it’s replaced by anger. Shades’ sudden indifference towards her is confusing and infuriating.

She remembers all the touches, all the times he got close, how he told her that he wants her to win, how he kills for her, and now he’s distant.

She knows that it’s probably the kiss. The game, the chase, is over. It’s not new and exciting to him anymore, and she scoffs at how boring he must think she is.

It didn’t have to end here, but Shades seems unwilling to budge.

They work side by side but in silence. It’s not necessarily bad. He knows her well enough to do his job without much input from her, and vice versa.

The offset in their dynamic doesn’t escape Alex’s notice because the young man frowns when he sees Shades unusual tense demeanor around Mariah.

Mariah takes the moral high ground, or her version of it, and ignores Shades’ sudden attitude change. They are still partners, and she’s not going to run her vision of the future because Shades lost interest in her. But that doesn’t mean she’s above being petty from time to time.

“Alex and I’ll be flying to Los Angeles to visit my sorority’s chapters down there. Make sure security is arranged,” she tells him one night as they close up the club.

His head is stiff when he nods, and Mariah detects a slight clench in his jaw.

“I can trust you to oversee things here, correct?” she adds, and she’s rewarded with the sunglasses coming off.

He just stares at her, and Mariah’s shocked to see that he’s not angry. Hurt wouldn’t be an accurate descriptor either, but it’s close.

“Whatever you need,’ he replies, and the sunglasses are back on.

Mariah knows she should leave it alone, but she’s done living in the dark.

“What changed?” she asks. When he doesn’t reply, she walks over to him and takes his sunglasses off. He’s forced to meet her eyes as she stares him down.

“What do you mean?” he asks, and she can tell that he’s struggling with something.

“You. From the moment I kissed you, you ceased being you,” she says, and he looks away. Realization dawns on her.

“Oh. The kiss. It isn’t what you wanted,” she whispers to herself more than him, and she takes a step back.

Mariah refuses to be hurt by this. Everyone makes mistakes. “I’m sorry. It shouldn’t have happened, and it won’t happen again. Now stop moping and start running your part of the criminal empire like you wanted ever since you came back to Harlem.”

She holds out his sunglasses for him to take back, but he doesn’t take them. Instead he takes her hand in his and musters up the courage to look her in the eyes.

“I wanted the kiss,” he begins. “I wanted you.” When he sees the hurt look on her face, he corrects himself.

“I still want you,” he clarifies. “But I don’t like knowing that you could toss me out of your life in a second, and I’d be left with nothing.”

Mariah squeezes his hand. “I could say the same about you. You know more about criminal world than I do, and I wouldn’t have made it this far without you. We work well together, not apart. It’d be mutually assured destruction if that ever happened.”

It’s not romantic by any normal standards, but it brings a smile to Shades face.

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better,” he teases, but there’s a hint of truth in his tone. “But we both know you’d survive without me.”

“Yes,” she answers honestly, and it doesn’t hurt him because what follows is even better. “But I wouldn’t enjoy it.”

She steps closer to him, and he feels her warmth.

“I enjoy you,” she whispers and brushes her lips against his briefly before pulling away.

Mariah looks up at him. “But if you pull this shit again, you won’t be enjoying anything.”

Shades nods. He knows he should have talked to her before he let it get this out of hand.

“We’re partners, Hernan,” she says, and the way she says his real name does things to him.

She stares at him hard before pulling away. “You’re still not coming with me to Los Angeles.”

He moves to protest, but she holds her hand up. “I get that you’re not used to having an equal partner, but you need to learn to communicate with me about any problems you might have.”

Shades nods, and then Mariah smiles at him. “I also need you here running the club when I’m gone. Misty Knight might take advantage of my absence, and I know you won’t let that happen.

And just like that, Shades’ signature sexy smirk is back, and Mariah pats herself on the back. Nothing like mentioning his ongoing rivalry with Misty to put the spark back in him.

“You know I won’t,” he practically purrs, and Mariah rolls her eyes. She’ll never understand why he enjoys toying with Misty so much, especially since they both grew up in Harlem.

Mariah just shakes her head and gets back to work. She can feel Shades’ eyes on her wherever she goes, and she welcomes the feeling. She missed it.

This partnership is new for both of them, and they stumble their way through it. They try to keep business and pleasure separate, but with their busy and sometimes conflicting schedules, that rule is crossed one or two times.

There are moments in her office at the club when Shades’ lips feel so good against hers, and the hand on her lower back drives her crazy.

Then there are the times when his lips taste her neck while his hand strokes her inner thigh, and Mariah wonders why they haven’t had sex yet.

It’s not something they actively agree on, but either one or both of them put a halt to things when it gets too heated.

There is no rush. Well, that’s before Mariah goes out of town for a week.

When she gets back, they christen her office at the club and the dining room table at her home.

They finally make it to her bed, they just stare at each other for awhile.

It’s in that moment, they both know that their partnership is built to last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this two part story!

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I'm going to make them work for it. Sorry!


End file.
